Wind box seal for sintering machines



Aug. 7, 1951 Filed Sept. 8, 1949 H. E. ROWEN WINDBOX SEAL FOR SINTERINGMACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. fiA/ QAD E ROWE/v Aug. 7, '1951Filed Sept. 8, 1949 H. ROWEN WINDBOX SEAL FOR SINTERING MACHINES 4Sheets-Sheet 2 I- l h WA 4 w b 11% INVENTOR. f POM/[N 1951 H. E. ROWEN2,563,135

WINDBOX SEAL FOR SINTERING MACHINES Filed Sept. 8, 1949 Y 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

HAROLD E. Pom/157v ATTORNEY Aug. 7, 1951 H. E. ROWEN WINDBOX SEAL FORSINTERING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 8, 1949 INVENTOR.fiA/Pom E. ROWE/v Patented Aug. 7, 1951 35 5."? 1-4? SEAL FORSINTERINGMACHINES WIND BOX Harold E. Rowen, Stanhope, N.' J., assignor 'toSintering Machinery Corporation, Netcong, N.J.,a corporation of NewJersey Application September s, 1945, Serial No. 114,490

7Claims. (01.26641) My present invention relates to sintering machinesand particularly to improvements in sealing down-draft sinteringmachines.

In sintering machines of the moving grate'or Dwight 8; Lloyd type, asuccession of pallets moves over the upper open end of one or morewindboxes into which the products. of combustion of the material onthepallets is drawn. In order to maintain a sufficiently. low pressure todraw in the draft through the pallets and grates, it is necessary toseal the side edges of the pallets with the side walls of the windbox.

In the constructions heretofore used for this purpose the seals betweenthe moving pallets and the wall of the windbox were exposed to the hotgases within the windbox with the result that it was difficult inpractice to maintain a satisfactory seal.

In my present invention I provide a sealing means between the movingpallets and the walls of the windbox which is protected from the hot.gases so that an effective seal may be easily maintained and protectedagainst deteriorating action of the heat within the windbox.

In my present invention I provide flanges depending from the pallets andspaced slightly within the upper edge of the side walls of the windboxso that there is a space between the depending flange and the wall ofthe windbox.

' On the upper edge of the side wall of the windbox I provide a bearingbar or hearing bars extending lengthwise of the direction of the travelof the pallets.

Mounted on the pallets outside of their depending flanges or hubs arewearing bars which rest on the bearing bars of the windbox wall.

A means is provided for supplying a lubricant to the bearing surface ofthe bearing bars so that the wearing bars of the pallets may slideeasily on the bearing bar of the windbox and form a substantiallyairtight seal.

The shape of the bearing surface of the bearing bars and of the wearingbars may be either horizontal or inclined with the inclination of oneside wall being reverse to that of the other, or they may be groovedwith the side edges of the grooves inclined and with the wearing barsofthe pallets complementarily inclined.

The full weight of the pallets need not be supported on the bearing barsbut may be supported on rails spaced outside of the windbox on whichwheels carried by the pallets may run. And in this .case the bearingbars are pressed upwardly against the wearing bars of the pallets with auniforinpressure. For this purpose the bearing bars may be supported onweighted levers.

The pallets after moving beyond the windbox run on a curve to invertedpositions to be returned vto the; opposite end of the sintering maehineto again pass over the windbox. The-pallets are provided with hubs orprojecting parts at their lower corners which bear against eachother inpassing about the return curve. I

The wearing bars are spaced upwardly from the hub so that as the palletsturn to inverted position the wearing bars between successive palletsmove away from each other and thus escape injury as the pallets rollabout the curved track.

The various features of my invention are illustrated, by way of example,in the accompanying drawings in which a e Fig. 1 isa vertical, sectiontaken through line ll of Fig. 2 of a sintering machine embodying apreferred form of the invention; v V v Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thesintering ma chine shown in Fig. l; H e Fig. 3 is a vertical section ofa part of a palle and side wall of a windbox showing the relationship ofthe bearing and wearingbars forming the seal in relation to the otherparts of the sintering machine; I 1

Fig. 4 is a similar section taken immediately beyond the windbox andshowing the manner of sealing the successive pallets as they-leave thewindbox;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to, that of Fig. 3 showing a modificationinwhich the bearing-bar isv pressed upwardly by a weighted lever; V a

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig.4 of the modification shown inFig. 5; I I

Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional and. side views respectively of a portion ofthe sinterin machine showing the relationship of the wearing and bearingbars to the hub of the pallets; v

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view on a smaller scale showing therelationship of the hubs andbearing bars as the pallets move about acurve to inverted position;

Fig. 10 is a cross-section similar to that of Fig. 3 showing inclinedbearingand wearing surfaces,

and

Figs. 11 and 12- are respectively diagrammatic end and side viewsshowing a grooved form of bearing bar. a

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings,the invention may be applied to a conventional type of windbox I5supported on a suitable framework 16 and. having an outlet I! for gasesand an outlet 18 for separated dust. I

The upper end or top of the windbox is; closed by pallets H! which passover the' upper end of the windbox each in contact with the next to forma substantially solid moving cover on which the sintering grates aremounted.

The pallets move in the usual way over the upper ends of the windbox,then come in a reverse curve onto rails below the windbox to again bebrought to erect position at the opposite side of the sintering machineand again pass ver the latter.

The pallets are provided at their opposite sides with wheels 2| toengage the rails 20.

The construction of the pallets and of the sealing means is shown moreparticularly in Fig. 3, and inFig. 4. As shown in these figures thepallet comprises a framework '22 on which the grates (not shown) aresupported and which has at each side a hub comprising a wall 23extending a distance above the frame 22 and a depending wall 24extending somewhat below the grate supporting frame. A flange 25 extendsoutwardly from the side wall 23 somewhat above the lower edge of thehub. On the lower surface of the flange 25 is mounted a wearing bar 26of hard steel secured to the flange 25 by countersunk screws.

The wearing bar 26 of each successive pallet is supported on a bearingbar 21 which extends continuously the length of the windbox and ismounted on a block 28 secured by means of angle irons 29 and 30 to theside wall 3! of the windbox.

It will be understood that the pallets move in continuous succession anddirect contact. The successive wearing bars 26 of the pallets will forma substantially continuous bar as they pass over the windbox.

To lubricate the relatively moving surfaces of the wearing and bearingbars the latter are provided at regular intervals with lubricatingpassages 32 through which lubricant may be injected to the upper surfaceof the bearing bar.

It will be apparent that the bearing bars and wearing bars are shieldedby the lower part 24 of the hub from the hot gases passing into thewindbox. This enables these parts to be kept lubricated and free fromthe destructive action of high temperatures of the windbox gases.

As the pallets pass from the windbox access of air across the width ofthe windbox is prevented by providing a dead plate 33, Fig. 4, of adimension in the direction of movement of the pallets somewhat greaterthan the corresponding dimension of the pallets and positioned so as tobear closely against the under surface of the frame. This insures thatno air will pass into the windbox through this transverse dimensionexcept through the top grate supporting part of the pallet.

The dead plate 33 has a downward extension 34 and an outward extension35 below the lower surface of the hub and sealing "to the support block28. The lower part of the hub is widened as at 36 so that at the ends ofthe pallet the space is closed between the hub and the s'up- V NM.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a part of the weight issupported outside of the windbox on rails 38 extending in the directionof travel of the pallets and supporting the wheels 2 I. In this case thebearing bar 21 is pressed upwardly against the wearing bar 26 by meansof a tilting lever 39 pivoted at 40 on the framework, from one end ofwhich depends a weight 4|. The other end of the lever bears upwardlyagainst a sliding plate 42 slidably bolted onto an angle iron 43 mountedon the upper end of the windbox wall 3|. The bearing bar 21 is,therefore, forced upwardly against the Wearing bar 26 by the weight 4|,thus taking but a part of the weight of the pallet and providing auniform pressure regardless of the weight of the pallet or its materialto be treated.

With this construction, as shown in Fig. 6, a dead plate 44 supported bya beam 45 extends in contact with the lower surface of the pallets l9,thence under the lower end of the hub in an extension 46 thereby fillingthe space between the hub and the supporting bearing bar.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the lower part 24 of the hub is widened andextended downwardly as at 41. As the pallets move about a curve to bringthem onto the lower supporting rails 20, as in Fig. 9, the palletscontact only at the rounded ends 41 of the hub.

As the hub is below the level of the wearing bar, the bearing bars ofsuccessive pallets separate and do not come into contact again until thepallets are supported on the rail 23, or until they are brought to theirupright position to pass over the windbox. This preserves the wearingbar from injury as the pallets pass from the working position to returnposition.

In the modification shown in Fig. 10 the bearing bar 21 and wearin bar26 are slightly inclined to the horizontal. The wearing and bearing barson the opposite side of the pallet will also be inclined but in thereverse direction so as to center the pallets automatically in positionon the windbox. The lubrication would be the same in this case as thatshown in Fig. 3.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the wearing and bearingbars are made of an angle or curved shape to hold the pallets aligned intheir travel. In this case the bearing bar may be lubricated by means ofrecesses 48 in which lubricant may be contained and having rotatingwheels or rollers 49 to bring the lubricant into contact with thewearing bar.

Through the above invention I have provided a seal which is protectedagainst the hot gases in the windbox and which may be readilylubricated.

Having described by invention, what I claim is:

1. A sintering machine having a wind box open at its upper end andcomprising side walls and bearing bars one one each side wall, palletsmovable in succession over the upper open end of the Wind box, saidpallets each having a wearing bar at each side and slidably bearing onthe bearing bar at its respective side, said pallets having dependingside flanges one at each side spaced inwardly of and extendingdownwardly below the contacting surfaces of the bearing and wearin bars.

2. The sint'ering machine of claim 1 having a lubricating means in saidbearing bar to supply lubricant to the bearing surface of said bar.

3. The sintering machine of claim 1 in which the bearing surface of thebearing bar on one side of said windbox is inclined transversely of '5said windbox and in which the wearing bar on the opposite side thereofis inclined transversely in the opposite direction and in which thewearing bars of said pallets are inclined on their respective sides tothe inclination of their respective bearing bars.

4. The sintering machine of claim 1 in which each bearing bar has alongitudinal groove diverging upwardly and in which the wearing barshave complementary surfaces to the sides of said 5. The sinteringmachine of claim 1 in which a Weighted lever presses the bearing barupwardly against the wearing bar of its respective pallet and in whichsaid pallets have supporting means extending beyond said bearing bar.

6. A sintering machine having a Windbox open at its upper end andcomprising side walls and bearing bars one for each side wall andmovable vertically relative to its respective side wall, means forresiliently pressing said bearing bars upwardly, pallets movable insuccession over the upper open end of said windbox, said pallets eachhavin a wearing bar at each side slidably bearing on the bearing bar atits respective side of said windbox and having extensions sidewisebeyond said wearing bar, said extensions having supporting rollers, asupporting rail for said rollers at each side of said windbox, saidpallets having depending side flanges one at each side spaced inwardlyof and extending downwardly below the contacting surfaces of saidbearing and wearing bars.

'7. The sintering machine of claim 1 having a dead plate at theend ofsaid windbox transverse to the direction of movement of and in positionto contact with the lower surfaces of said pallets as they passthereover and extending beneath and in contact with said dependingflanges to said wearing bar to seal the ends of said windbox, saidflanges of said pallets being widened at their front and rear ends toseal the space between said flanges and said bearing bar.

HAROLD E. ROWEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,468,206 Klugh Sept. 18, 19231,491,778 Stehli Apr. 22, 1924 1,774,135 Fassotte Aug. 26, 19302,070,300 Smith Feb. 9, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 748,413France Apr. 18, 1933 585,367 Germany' Oct. 10, 1933 Certificate ofCorrection Patent No. 2,563,135 August 7, 1951 HAROLD E. BOWEN 1 It ishereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of theabove numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 4, line 61, for one, second occurrence, read on;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, sothat the same may conform to the record of the case in the PatentOflice.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of January, A. D. 1952.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

